Shelby County, Missouri Demographics 2026

Name: Shelby County, Missouri Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Shelby County, Missouri has a population of 5,986, the 105th most populous county in Missouri. The median household income is $51,594 and the median home value is $99,900. The poverty rate is 15.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Shelby County Quick Facts

Population 5,986

Median Household Income $51,594

Median Home Value $99,900

Poverty Rate 15.9%

Unemployment Rate 1.8%

Median Age 42.7 years

Homeownership Rate 77.5%

Affordability Ratio 1.9x

Bachelor's Degree+ 18.5%

High School Graduation 90.4%

Cities/Places 6

Population 5,986 105th of 115

Median Income $51,594 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 15.9%

Unemployment 1.8%

How Shelby County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	6,011	5,986	-0.4%
Median household income	$52,127	$51,594	-1.0%
Median home value	$86,200	$99,900	+15.9%

Median Household Income

Shelby

$51,594

$70,702

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Shelby

$99,900

$230,300

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 19.7%

$25K-$50K 29.2%

$50K-$100K 30.6%

$100K+ 20.5%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

5.5%

$10K-$15K

4.6%

$15K-$20K

5.3%

$20K-$25K

4.2%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

7.4%

$35K-$40K

5.6%

$40K-$45K

6.5%

$45K-$50K

4.4%

$50K-$60K

5.0%

$60K-$75K

10.6%

$75K-$100K

15.0%

$100K-$125K

9.3%

$125K-$150K

3.3%

$150K-$200K

4.6%

$200K+

3.4%

Employment

1.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.0%|National: 5.2%

54.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.5%

Renter 22.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.9x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $625/mo 14.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

24.0%

18-34

18.1%

35-54

21.6%

55-74

26.6%

75+

9.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 40 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Shelby County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Shelbina	1,653	$47,500	20.6%	$86,200
Clarence	862	$31,734	26.6%	$74,100
Shelbyville	621	$52,250	16.5%	$85,200
Hunnewell	130	$49,375	15.4%	$53,800
Bethel	126	$65,938	10.3%	$63,800
Leonard	35	$63,036	2.9%	$68,800

Explore Missouri Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Shelby County is located in Missouri with a total population of 5,986. It is the 105th most populous county out of 115 in Missouri. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Shelby County is 42.7 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 39.0 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Shelby County is $51,594. This is 27% lower than the state median of $70,702. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.9%. This is 27% higher than the state poverty rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate is 1.8%. This is 56% lower than the state rate of 4.0%. The median home value is $99,900. Housing costs are 57% lower than the state median of $230,300. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Shelby County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 68.1%.

Race & Ethnicity

Shelby County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.6% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.3%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 10.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population (2.3%) is well below the state average of 5.2%. The Asian population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 2.1%.

Education

18.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 43% lower than the state rate of 32.4%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Shelby County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Missouri and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Shelby County, Missouri?

Shelby County has a population of 5,986, making it the 105th most populous county in Missouri.

What is the median income in Shelby County?

The median household income in Shelby County is $51,594 with a poverty rate of 15.9%.

How many cities are in Shelby County, Missouri?

Shelby County contains 6 Census-designated places.